24 Jul 2021

Family of missing Christchurch woman: 'We're just getting the word out'

3:09 pm on 24 July 2021

The family of an elderly Christchurch woman, who has been missing for two weeks, are distributing fliers to try and get word out.

Shirley Warrington.

Shirley Warrington. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police

85-year-old Shirley Warrington was last seen on Saturday 10 July

Police suspended the search on 14 July, saying they had exhausted all viable options.

One of Shirley Warrington's granddaughter's, Aleisha Hofman, is involved in a Facebook page - Search for Shirley - which is helping to co-ordinate on-going searches.

The family are also using the page to distribute fliers for volunteers to deliver.

"Not everyone is on social media, so just getting the word out to every area of Christchurch. Get people talking, get people looking in case she has wandered out of the area, or been taken out of the area. Every little bit of help is appreciated."

"There are a lot of people, at all times of the day, who don't know Shirley or our family but who are out searching for her, which is amazing because its our best chance of finding her."

She said members of the public have also made spreadsheets and maps of where people have already searched to aid better coverage.

No caption.

Photo: Supplied

"Hopefully we can alert everyone in Christchurch to take 20 minutes to look in their backyard, paddock or garage so we can rule out everything, and narrow it down."

She said, in the first few days, they were still hopeful they may find her out wandering or sitting on a park bench.

"Then it got to the weekend and, after those really cold nights, we weren't feeling good about the situation and reality starts to bite.

"But we thought last weekend would be it, we had so many people out searching including myself and other family members.

"Then another week went by and we thought what area have we not searched? So this Facebook page is really getting word out for areas people can join along."

Police said they remain committed to locating Shirley and are supportive of anything that will help that, and are extremely grateful for the support shown by the community in the search for Shirley.

Police said they won't hesitate to initiate further physical searches as new information comes to hand.

Anyone with information they think may assist is asked to get in touch with police quoting file number 210711/8724.